Five Day Learn to Lead Climbing

Project Description

A learn to lead rock climbing course based in Snowdonia for you to learn to lead your own rock climbs.

Location: Snowdonia
Price: £625 per person
Ratio: 1:2
Length: 5 days

Who is the course suitable for?

This course runs Monday to Friday and is ideal if you have done a little climbing before, perhaps at an indoor wall, or are new to the sport. We aim to develop your skills from introducing you to belaying and climbing to progressing through to seconding multi-pitch routes involving belaying a lead climber and a second from above. Towards the end of the course you will also have the option of leading your own traditional climbs ie climbs where you place the gear to protect the route. If you join the course with more climbing experience then we can get you leading sooner – the 1:2 ratio ensures that we can run it to your needs.

What does the course cover?

Days One & Two
An introduction to belaying from above and below either on single pitch crags or easier multi pitch climbs, dependant upon weather and your experience. We will also look at movement skills, tieing into the harness, tieing into anchors, setting up top rope systems, abseiling, crag etiquette, route finding and crag safety.

Days Three to Five
We head out onto the mountain routes with a view to climbing some of the multi-pitch classics of North Wales. You will consolidate the skills learnt in the first 2 days and we will be able to progress towards leading your first lead climb if you want to. We will teach you how to place nuts, wires, cams, hexes and slings to protect the climb and additional multi pitch skills such as stance management and abseil retreat and climb grades from Difficult to Hard Very Severe to match your ability and aspirations.

The key point with this course is that the whole course is run at a 1:2 ratio which allows us to climb in a multi pitch setting all week if we want to and maximises your learning time. The course is taught using my progressive teaching model, click here to learn more.
Day 3 – Multi Pitch on the sea cliffs

Where is the course held?

We run the course in Snowdonia. Snowdonia offers every type of climbing from roadside crags to long mountain routes and has its sheltered venues suitable for rock climbing through the winter months (the North Wales coastline being particularly good).

What about equipment?

We provide all of the specialist equipment such as ropes, harnesses, helmets and the climbing rack. If you have your own kit you are welcome to use it. We will provide you with a detailed kit list when you book on the course. You can read our “whats included” and kit list page here.

What about accommodation & transport?

We do not include accommodation with this course. For a variety of different accommodation options in Snowdonia, from camping to nice hotels, visit the link on the right of the page. The link also shows road and rail travel options to Snowdonia.

Read my article for the BMC on making the transition from climbing indoors to heading outdoors.

Who runs the course?

I run the majority of courses myself. I hold the MIC and IML qualifications and have many years of practical experience of working with a wide range of clients. I am also assisted by other local Mountaineering Instructors who are good friends of mine so that you get a balanced view and some different opinions. I have been rock climbing for nearly 20 years and you can read more about my qualifications and experience here.

Meeting Place & Time

Once you book we will send you a comprehensive set of course notes and a letter of confirmation, this will include a detailed kit list and details of where and when we meet. The first day normally starts at 9:30am in Capel Curig and finishes in the same place at about 4:00pm.

When does this course run?

You can view the dates of all of our courses throughout the year on the diary page.

Other Questions

If you have any questions that you can’t find answers to on the website visit our contact page for details on how to get in touch. We look forward to meeting you!

Book this Course

To book this course please choose a date from the diary page and then click on the button below to complete our booking form and make payment via Paypal. We require full payment to secure your course space.

Hi Rob, I just wanted to say thank you so much for a fantastic week of climbing. I had a great time, learnt loads and loved every minute (even in a strange way the bits that I was rather scared). I really appreciated your patience and knowledge; and also for pushing Jon and I onto more challenging ground.

Ryan, 5 day learn to lead climbing course

Hi Rob,
I am just dropping you a line following our ” Learn to Lead” course in September. Stu and Myself are still grinning from our week climbing in North Wales. Your Instruction was second to none, absolutely what we required, you pitched the course to our ability, which was better than we thought surprisingly ! This allowed us to stretch ourselves safely under your expert guidance and coaching. We learnt loads in a week, all of which was paced skilfully allowing us to build on new skills before we moved on. Your local knowledge in picking areas and routes, was also invaluable. Just to round up excellent week, excellent instruction, Thanks:-) I will be taking up your professional skills again in the near future,definitely

Jason & Stuart, 5 day learn to lead climbing course

“I wanted to say thanks for another fantastic week, I like it when an instructor pushes his clients to new things if and when they are ready and the sea cliffs rocked including the brazen elements and trumping fog-horn! I have had my chums in stitches regaling that tale already! I will also be checking the Forum on your site anon, as you recommended, to try and see if I can get out and about with others in the coming months. Awesome to have your guidance as always and I hope you enjoyed the Whisky.

Mike, 5 day learn to lead climbing course

Hi Rob

Just a quick email to say how much I enjoyed the course. It was brilliant. I found it answered all the questions Ive been trying to figure out. Ive been in the mountains now for 3 or 4 years and had picked up so much information but as for the technical side of things this was the one that seemed to of pulled it all together – it was the missing link for me!!

Aspirations are fluctuating with each read of the weather forecast but this morning at least Rob, Dave and me have managed to find some nice ice climbing. Rob and myself are hanging around in Norway [...]

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